Written by Annie Kwon

Have you or were you discriminated against because you’re Deaf?  Unable to hear and sometimes, unable to speak vocally can put you in a tough spot in the work force.  Communication is important so as an employer, you want to put people in the positions that rely on functional communication with the customers (people or companies) and you don’t want to put Deaf people because you’re afraid that you will lose something or everything.  But as a Deaf person, I would understand some positions aren’t for Deaf people but purely denying me the opportunity of the position that may have other alternatives to communicate, it’s discrimination.

I wear hearing aids so I can hear and speak as well as hearing people. I can also sign.  I worked at the food service at my college for a year.  As soon as I applied and at the orientation, the manager determined to assign me as “cleaning lady” because all other positions interact with the customers.  Why? Because I wear hearing aids and I am under Deaf students in the school system.  They assumed that I wouldn’t able to hear and talk even though they talked with me before.  All other workers, the manager had a hard time assigning them to other positions.  I didn’t have the evidence of discrimination but I saw the pattern.  I would be more valuable to the customers because I could also sign and it would be helpful to the Deaf customers.

What about you?